2000
#138,741
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 111
First available Census row
Per 100,000 0.04
Very Rare Last name
Okins
An English surname derived from a medieval personal name, possibly the son of Oke.
According to the 2020 US Census Bureau surname tables, roughly 134 Americans carry the last name Okins. That puts it at #144,270 in the national surname ranking, appearing at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 people (about 1 in 2,557,868 residents).
This page is the full Name Census profile for the Okins surname. You will find the Census Bureau frequency data, a multi-census history view, an ancestry and ethnicity breakdown based on self-reported demographics, the name's meaning and origin where available, and answers to the most common questions people ask about this surname.
Bearers in the US
134
1 in 2,557,868
Census rank
#144,270
2020 decennial data
Per 100,000
0.0
Frequency rate
Recorded bearers
117
very rare in the US
Popularity narrative
The Census Bureau recorded 117 bearers of the surname Okins in its 2020 decennial surname file. At a rate of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, it holds the 144270th position in the national surname ranking.
Among Census respondents with the surname Okins, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Black (0.9%).
Origin
Meaning and origin of Okins
The surname Okins is believed to have originated in England, with its earliest known roots dating back to the late 12th century. The name is thought to be derived from the Old English word "okenhill," which referred to a hill or elevated land covered with oak trees.
One of the earliest known references to the Okins surname can be found in the Hundred Rolls of Norfolk, a census-like record compiled in 1273 during the reign of King Edward I. This document mentions a certain "Robert de Okenhulle," suggesting that the name was already in use at that time.
In the 14th century, the surname appears to have been concentrated in the counties of Norfolk and Suffolk, with various spellings such as "Okenhull," "Okehill," and "Ockenhull" appearing in local records and parish registers.
The Domesday Book, a comprehensive survey of land and property commissioned by William the Conqueror in 1086, does not contain any direct references to the Okins surname. However, it does mention several places with similar names, such as "Achenehille" (Oakenhill) in Berkshire and "Ochehil" (Oakhill) in Somerset.
One of the earliest recorded individuals bearing the Okins surname was John Okins, who was born in the village of Hingham, Norfolk, around 1450. He was a landowner and prominent figure in the local community.
In the 16th century, the Okins family gained prominence in the county of Essex, where they held substantial landholdings. Richard Okins (1520-1587), a wealthy merchant and landowner, was a notable figure during this period.
During the English Civil War in the 17th century, a certain Captain William Okins (1610-1672) fought on the Parliamentarian side and played a role in several key battles, including the Battle of Naseby in 1645.
In the 18th century, the surname Okins was particularly prevalent in the counties of Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire. One notable figure from this era was Thomas Okins (1735-1802), a renowned architect and surveyor who designed several notable buildings in the city of Lincoln.
Another individual of note was Sir George Okins (1775-1848), a successful businessman and member of the British Parliament who represented the borough of Grantham in Lincolnshire.
Throughout its history, the Okins surname has also been associated with several place names, such as Okins Farm in Norfolk, Okins Hill in Suffolk, and Okins Green in Essex.
Demographics
Ancestry and ethnicity for Okins
Among Census respondents with the surname Okins, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Black (0.9%).
The bar chart below shows how Okins bearers described their own race and ethnicity on the 2020 Census form. The Census Bureau groups responses into six broad categories: White, Black or African American, Hispanic or Latino, Asian and Pacific Islander, American Indian and Alaska Native, and Two or More Races. When a category has too few respondents for a given surname, the Bureau suppresses the figure to protect individual privacy, which is why some names show fewer than six slices.
Percentages are shown for every Census year so the breakdown stays comparable over time. When the source file also includes raw headcounts, Name Census shows those alongside the percentages in the legend.
Keep in mind that these are self-reported numbers. A person's surname does not determine their race or ethnicity, and the distribution you see here reflects the specific population who happened to carry the Okins surname at the time of the 2020 Census, not any inherent property of the name itself.
- White96.6% · 113
- Asian and Pacific Islander1.7% · 2
- Black or African American0.9% · 1
- American Indian and Alaska Native0.9% · 1
Timeline
Historical Census data for Okins
Okins appears in 3 published Census surname files: 2000, 2010, 2020. The cards below show how the name's rank and bearer count changed across each release.
2010
#146,201
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 113
+2 bearers (+1.8%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Down 7,460 places
2020
#144,270
National surname rank
Recorded bearers 117
+4 bearers (+3.5%)
Per 100,000 0.04
Rank movement Up 1,931 places
| Year | Rank | Count | Per 100K | Count change | Rank change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | #138,741 | 111 | 0.04 | First available Census row | First available Census row |
| 2010 | #146,201 | 113 | 0.04 | +2 bearers (+1.8%) | Down 7,460 places |
| 2020 | #144,270 | 117 | 0.04 | +4 bearers (+3.5%) | Up 1,931 places |
For 2020, the Census Bureau published race and Hispanic-origin columns as counts rather than percentages. Name Census converts those counts back into shares so the ancestry section stays comparable with the older surname files.
Year on year
2010 vs 2020 Census
How has the Okins surname changed between Census years? The chart shows bearer count side by side, and the table compares rank, count, and frequency.
Census year comparison
20102020
| Metric | 2010 | 2020 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | #146,201 | #144,270 | 1.3% |
| Count | 113 | 117 | 3.5% |
| Per 100K | 0.04 | 0.04 | -2.1% |
Between the 2010 and 2020 Census, the number of Okins bearers went from 113 to 117 (+3.5% change). The surname moved up 1,931 positions in the national ranking, going from #146,201 to #144,270.
FAQ
Okins surname: questions and answers
How many people in the U.S. have the surname Okins?
Name Census estimates that about 134 living Americans carry the surname Okins. Using the current population baseline, that works out to roughly 1 in 2,557,868 residents.
How common is Okins?
Okins ranks #144,270 in the 2020 Census surname tables and is classified on this site as "Very Rare." The Census recorded the name at a frequency of 0.04 per 100,000 residents, which is about 0 people out of every 100,000.
How many people with this surname were counted in the Census?
The raw 2020 Census file counted 117 people with the surname Okins. That is different from the site's living-bearer estimate (134), which projects the surname's present-day count by applying the Census frequency rate to the current U.S. population.
What does 0.04 per 100,000 actually mean?
It is the Census Bureau's normalized frequency measure. A rate of 0.04 per 100,000 means that if you picked a random group of 100,000 U.S. residents, you would expect about 0 of them to have the surname Okins.
Has Okins become more or less common over time?
Between 2010 and 2020, the surname Okins went from 113 recorded bearers to 117. That is an increase of 4 (+3.5%). In the national ranking it rose from #146,201 to #144,270.
What does the Census say about the background of Okins?
Among Census respondents with the surname Okins, the largest self-reported group is White at 96.6%. The next largest groups are Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%) and Black (0.9%). These figures come from the 2020 Census Bureau surname tables, based on how respondents described their own race and ethnicity.
Which group reports this surname most often?
White is the largest self-reported group for the surname Okins in the 2020 Census, accounting for 96.6% (113 people in the source table).
What is the full ancestry breakdown?
Okins appears across multiple self-reported groups in the Census data. The largest shares in the 2020 file are White (96.6%), Asian/Pacific Islander (1.7%), Black (0.9%). For 2020, the source file also published raw headcounts for each group, which is why this page can show both percentages and counts in the ancestry section.
Is this page using the latest Census data?
Yes. This page is using the latest surname file currently loaded on Name Census, which is 2020. The historical section above also keeps any older Census surname entries we have for Okins (2000, 2010, 2020).
Does the Census include every surname?
No. The Census Bureau only publishes surnames that appeared at least 100 times in a given decennial Census. That means very rare surnames are excluded entirely, and a surname can appear in one Census release but disappear from a later one if it falls below the reporting threshold.
Why don't the ancestry percentages always add up to exactly 100%?
There are two main reasons: rounding and suppression. The Census Bureau rounds published values, and it may suppress very small cells to protect privacy. For 2020, the Bureau also published raw group counts rather than direct percentages, so Name Census converts those counts back into shares for comparability across census years.
What does Okins mean?
An English surname derived from a medieval personal name, possibly the son of Oke. The fuller origin note on this page goes into more detail.
Where does the surname data come from?
All surname statistics on Name Census are drawn from the US Census Bureau's decennial surname frequency tables. These files list every surname that appeared 100 or more times in the 2020 Census, along with a count, a per-100,000 rate, and a self-reported demographic breakdown. You can read the full explanation on our methodology page.
How does Name Census estimate living bearers?
For surnames, Name Census does not age cohorts the way it does for first names. Instead, it takes the Census Bureau's published frequency for Okins (0.04 per 100,000) and applies that rate to the current U.S. resident population to estimate how many living Americans have the surname today.
How many Americans have the surname Okins?
HowManyOfMe.org, our sister site, answers that with the living-bearer count in one glance.